Well packers



D 1966 J. w. TAMPL EN 1 $2 38 WELL PACKERS Filed Dec. 15, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jack W. Tomplen Flrg's W XXJ WM J. W. TAMPLEN WELL PACKERS Dec. 20, 1966 13 Sheds-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1963 Fig.ll

67 Jack W. Tomplen ATTQRNEYL" United States Patent 3,292,938 WELL PACKERS Jack W. Tamplen, Celina, Tex., assignor to Otis Engineering Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,909 11 Claims. (Cl. 277116.2)

This invention relates to well tools and more particularly to well packers.

An object of this invention is to provide anew and improved well packer for bridging and sealing a wide annular space between two telescoped members, such as the annulus between a well casing and a flow conductor extending therethrough.

Another object is to provide a well packer having expandable means mounted on a mandrel which in its inoperative or retracted position has a small external radius whereby the well packer may pass through restricted portions of small diameter of the passage of a flow conductor and which is expandable to bridge and sealingly close the annulus between the well packermandrel and the flow conductor at a location of large diameter of the flow passage.

Still another object is to provide a well packer of the character described having a tubular resilient member, an expander for expanding the seal member radially outwardly, and bridge means at opposite ends of the seal element which are radially expansible to provide continuous annular surfaces at opposite ends of the seal element when it is expanded and bridge or close the gaps between the flow conductor and well packer at opposite ends of the seal element to prevent extrusion or flow of the expanded seal element.

A further object is to provide a well packer of the character described having lock means for holding the expander and the bridge means out of operative engagement with the sealing element during movement of the well packer through the flow conductor. a

A still further object is to provide a well packer having lock means for holding the seal element and bridge means in their expanded positions, which is not biased toward or out of its locking position by any pressure differential existing across the well packer.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical partly sectional view of the upper portion of a well packer embodying the invention positioned in a well flow conductor and with the seal element and bridge means thereof in their retracted inoperative positions;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 being a continuation thereof showing the lower portion of the well packer;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical partly sectional view of a collet member of the well packer;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of one of the dogs of the well packer which with the collet member forms a bridge means engageable with the seal element to prevent extrusion thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical, partly sectional view of the well packer showing it in its operative position with its sealing element in its expanded position in sealing engagement with the internal surfaces of a flow conductor;

Patented Dec. 20, 1966 "ice FIGURE 8 is a perspective View of the expander of the well packer;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken on line 99 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken on line 1010 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical partly sectional view of the well packer showing certain of its components in reversed position;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view of the upper portion of a pack-off anchor utilizing the well packers embodying the invention set in a well casing;

FIGURE 13 is a continuation of FIGURE 12 and is a vertical view, with same parts broken away, of an intermediate portion of the pack-01f anchor; and,

FIGURE 14 is a continuation of FIGURE 13 and is a vertical view, with same parts broken away, of the lower portion of the pack-oil anchor and of a stop to which the pack-off anchor is releasably secured.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, the well packer 20 includes a tubular mandrel 21, an upper bridge assembly 22 and an expander 23 mounted on the mandrel for longitudinal movement relative thereto, a tubular seal or packer element 24 positioned above a lower bridge assembly 25 secured to the lower end of the mandrel, the seal element and the bridge assemblies being expandable radially outwardly upon downward movement of the expander and the upper assembly relative to the seal element and the lower bridge assembly and of the upper bridge assembly downwardly relative to the expander, and a lock assembly 26 operatively associated with the upper bridge assembly and the mandrel for releasably locking the tubular expander and the upper bridge assembly in their lowermost positions on the mandrel illustrated in FIGURE 7 wherein the bridge assemblies and the seal assembly are in their expanded positions closing the annulus A between the well packer and the flow conductor in which it is positioned, such as the well casing C.

The upper bridge assembly includes a tubular collet 30 having four collet fingers 31 and four dogs 32 disposed between the collet fingers and mounted on the collet 30 for limited longitudinal movement between the collet fingers and for pivotal movement about their upper ends. Each of the dogs 32 has an upper narrow end portion 33 which extends upwardly into a downwardly opening longitudinal slot 34 of the collet. A pair of lateral lugs 35 on the upper end of the end portion have outer surfaces 36 which extend convergently outwardly and are spaced from the similarly outwardly convergent longitudinal side surfaces 38 defining the upper portion of each slot 34 whereby outward movement of the upper end of each dog is limited by the engagement of the surfaces 36 of the lugs 35 with the longitudinal surfaces 38 of the collet. Downward movement of each dog relative to the collet is limited by the engagement of the bottom shoulders 40 of the lugs 35 with the upwardly facing shoulders 41 provided by the ribs 42 of the collet which extend inwardly to restrict the width of the slots 34 at their lower ends.

The enlarged intermediate portion 44 of each dog is positioned between a pair of the collet fingers 31 and is provided with a pair of intermediate laterally outwardly extending lugs 45 which extend laterally inwardly of adjacent collet fingers and engage their inner longitudinal surfaces 46 whereby the collet fingers are moved resiliently outwardly when the dogs pivot outwardly about their upper ends.

The upper bridge 22 assembly of the collet 30 and the dogs 32 is t-elescoped over the upper cylindrical end portion 48 of the expander 23, the intermediate portions 44 ofthe dogs extending longitudinally downwardly through the vertical slots or openings 49 between each pair of circumferentially spaced external guide ribs or lugs 50 of the expander and the collet fingers extending outwardly of. and in alignment with the guide ribs. The internal bosses 52 on the lower ends of the collet fingers have their top downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulders 53 engaging the downwardly and outwardly inclined bottom shoulders 54 of the expander ribs to limit downward movement of the expander relative to the upper bridge assembly 22. The dogs 32 prevent any rotational-movement of the upper bridge assembly relative to the expander and thus hold the internal bosses 52 of the collet fingers in longitudinal alignment with the ribs The lower end portion of each dog is enlarged laterally to provide downwardly and outwardly extending cam surfaces 56 which are en-gageable by the side cam surfaces 57 at the lower ends of the collet fingers between which the dog is positioned. Downward-movement of the collet relative to the expander is limited by the engagement of the upper ends of the guide ribs 50 of the expander with the internal downwardly facing shoulder 60 of the collet. The extreme outer lower ends of the collet fingers and the dogs are provided with downwardly and inwardly extending shoulders 62 and 63 at their lower ends which form a continuous cylindrical surface of substantially the same diameter as the internal surface of the flow conduct-or in which the packer is used, when the collets fingers and the dogs are in their radially expanded positions, FIGURE 7, and the collet in its lowermost position on the expander. At this time the bottom surfaces 64 and 65 of the dogs and the collet fingers, respectively also form a continuous downwardly facing annular shoulder or sunface. An O-ring 64 disposed in an internal annular recess of the expander seals between the expander and the mandrel.

The locking assembly 26 which holds the upper bridge assembly on the expander 23 in the upper position on the mandrel illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 during the movement of the well packer in the flow conductor includes a lock sleeve 66 to Whose lower upper end is secured a fishneck 67 having an internal annular latch recess 6-8 in which is telescopa-ble any suitable running and pulling tool such as the Otis type GS tool illustrated and described on page 3934 of the Composite Catalogue of Oilfield E Equipment and Services, 1962-63 edition, which has suitable latch means receivable in the latch recess by means of which such running and pulling tool is releasably securable to the fishneck. The lock sleeve 66 has an internal annular flange 70 whose top annular shoulder 71 is engageable with the downwardly facing annular bottom shoulder 72 of the top external flange 74 of the mandrel 21 to limit upward movement of the lock sleeve on the mandrel. The lock sleeve and the mandrel are provided with lateral "apertures or ports 76 and 77 which permit fluid flow into and from the annular space between the mandrel and lock sleeve during longitudinal movement of the lock sleeve on the mandrel.

The lock sleeve adjacent its lower end is provided with an internal annular latch recess 80.having 'a-n upwardly facing abrupt shoulder 81 which is engagea'ble by the abrupt downwardly facing shoulders 83 of the external bosses 84 on the upper ends of the upwardly extending 4 is moved downwardly relative to the mandrel to a position wherein the ring segments are in alignment with the I external annular recess 90, by the camming engagement of the upper shoulder 88 of the lock sleeve therewith to permit downward movement of the lock sleeve relative to the collet members to the locking position illustrated in FIGURE 7. When the lock sleeve is in this locking position, the bosses 84 of the latch fingers are positioned above latch recess and in alignment with the internal surface 91 of the lock sleeve which is of greater internal diameter than the internal diameter of the lock sleeve below the latch recess. The ring segments are now held against movement due to their engagement with the internal surface 91 and with the top downwardly facing upwardly inclined shoulder 92 defining the'upper end of the external recess 90. The engagement of the top ends of the latch fingers with the ring segments holds or locks theous elements and surfaces thereof have been provided with the same reference numerals to which the subscript resilient latch fingers 85 of the collet when the bosses 84 are aligned with and extend outwardly into the latch recess as shown on FIGURE 1. Thelatch fingers 85, and therefore the collet, are held against upward longitudinal movement relative to the lock sleeve by a plurality of ring segments 87 which engage the top edge of the latch fingers and whose outer portions extend into the latch recess and engage the upwardly and inwardly inclined annular shoulder 88 defining the upper end of the latch recess when the ring segments are held in their outer expanded positions, illustrated in FIGURE 1, by their engagement with the external surface 89 of the mandrel. The ring segments are movable inwardly int-o the external annular recess 90 of the mandrel 21, when the lock sleeve together with the upper bridge assembly a has been added, 'as the corresponding elements and surfaces of the collet fingers and dogsof the upper bridge assembly.

The internal lower surfaces 101 of the collet dogs 32 and the internal surfaces 102 and 103 of the internal bosses. 52 are engageable by the top and upper annular external expander surfaces'104 and 105 of the expander and the collet fingers and dogs are moved radially outwardly due to the camming engagement of these surfaces as the upper bridge assembly is moved downwardly over the expander. Similarly the internal lower surfaces 101a of the collet fingers 32a and the internal surfaces of the internal bosses 52a are engageable by the bottom and lower annular expander surfaces 106 and 107 of the ex-' pander and are moved radially outwardly due to the camming engagement of these surfaces as the expander is moved downwardly relative to the lower bridge assem f bly. The intermediate cylindrical surface 108 holds the seal element in expanded position when the expander is,

in its lowermost position on the mandrel illustrated in FIGURE 7 wherein its downward movement is limited 1 by the engagement of its bottom end with the top end of a spacer ring 109 whose bottom end engages the shoulder 60a of the collet 100.

The lower end of the mandrel is threaded into the. threaded portion 112 of the collet 100 above its internal flange 114. The lower end portion of the collet 100 is internally threaded as at 115 to permit a suitable well tool 116, such as a locking mandrel or the like, to be secured to the collet.

In use the well packer 20 may be moved through a fiow conductor, such as the well casing C, by means of a wire line and the usual set of wire line tools which includes a running tool, such as the Otis type GS tool, having latch' means which extend into the internal recess 68 of thefishneck. A suitable locking mandrel 116 or the like is secured to the collet 100 which is adapted to engage in a suitable landing nipple or the like, connected in the well casing to stop downward movement of the collet, 100 and the mandrel 21 when the well packer reaches a desired or predetermined location in the well casing. Further downward movement then imparted to the runment relative thereto by the ring segments 87. Since the shoulders 57 of the collet fingers 31 now engage the upwardly facing shoulders 56 of the dogs 32, such downward movement of the collet 30 causes the dogs 32 also to move downwardly. The camming engagement of the lower internal surfaces 101 of the dogs with the top expander surface 104 as they move downwardly thereover causes the lower ends of the dogs 32 to pivot outwardly and, since their intermediate lugs 45 engage the inner surfaces 46 of the collet fingers, the collet fingers resiliently resist such outward movement of the dogs and the collet fingers and the upper bridge assembly tends to move the expander downwardly. Any downward movement of the expander causes the lower end portion of the expander to move downwardly between the mandrel and the seal element to expand the seal element and at the same time exert a downward force thereon. The seal element therefore also exerts a downward force on the dogs 32a of the lower bridge assembly.

As the collet 30 moves downwardly on the mandrel it also moves downwardly relative to the dogs 32 due to the camming engagement of the collet finger shoulders 57 with the dog shoulders 56. As the dogs are moved downwardly on the expander, their lower ends are also moved radially outwardly due to their engagement with the top expander surface. As the internal surfaces of the collet fingers also engage the top expander surface as the collet fingers move downwardly thereover, their camming engagement therewith cams the collet fingers outwardly.

The downward force exerted on the dogs 32a of the lower bridge assembly may at this time simultaneously cause the dogs 32a to move downwardly relative to the collet 100. The collet 30 and the dogs 32 move downwardly relative to the expander and are moved radially outwardly during such movement due to the engagement of their inner surfaces with the top and upper expander surfaces 104 and 105 until the internal shoulder 69 of the collet 30 engages the annular top end shoulder of the ribs 50 of the expander. During such downward movement of the collet and the dogs on the expander, the collet moves downwardly relative to the dogs which at the same time are pivoting upwardly and outwardly until the collet fingers and dogs reach the positions illustrated in FIGURE 7. Downward movement of the collet relative to the dogs is limited by the engagement of the top end surfaces of the dogs with the downwardly facing surfaces 120 of the collet defining the upper ends of the longitudinal slots 34 thereof. Such downward and outward movement of the collet and of the dogs 32 is of course resiliently resisted by the collet fingers 3-1 as they are caused to flex outwardly so that the expander 23 may be caused to move downwardly to at least partially expand the seal element even before its top end shoulder engages the internal shoulder 60 of the collet fingers. As the expander is moved downwardly on the mandrel, its bottom and lower surfaces move progressively between the seal element and the' mandrel extending the mandrel until the cylindrical middle external surface 108 of the expander is aligned with the seal element and holds it in its expanded position illustrated in FIGURE 7 and further downward movement of the expander is stopped by the engagement of its bottom end with the upper end of the spacer ring 109; During such downward movement of the expander through the seal element 24, the seal element 24 which engages the upper end surfaces of the dogs 32a tends to move the dogs 32a downwardly relative to the collet 100 due to the camming engagement of their shoulders 56a with the shoulders 57a of the collet fingers 31a until the downward movement of the dogs 32a relative to the collet 100 is arrested by the engagement of the bottom surfaces of the dogs with the upwardly facing shoulders or surfaces 126a defining the lower ends of the slots 34a in which the bottom end portions 33a of the dogs 32a are .slidably disposed. Further downward movement of the expander causes its bottom and lower surfaces 106 and 107 to progressively engage the internal surfaces of the dogs 32a and collet fingers 31a and move them radially outwardly. When the upper bridge assembly is moved to its lowermost position on the expander and the expander is moved to its lowermost position on the mandrel, the bottom surfaces 64 and 65 of the dogs 32 and collet fingers 31 are in substantial horizontal alignment with one another engaging the top annular shoulder of the seal element and forming a continuous downwardly facing surface, their external surfaces 62 and 63 engage the internal surfaces of the casing along a continuous annular line or surface, and the internal surfaces of thecollet finger bosses 52 and of the dogs engage the upper expander surface 105 along a continuous annular line or surface. The upper bridge assembly thus completely closes the annulus or the annular gap between the expander and the well casing immediately above the annular seal element thus holding it against extrusion. The top end surfaces of the collet fingers 31a and of the dogs 32a similarly provide an upwardly facing continuous annular surface which abuts the bottom annular surface of seal element, their external surfaces 62a and 63a engage the internal surface of the well casing along a continuous annular surface, and the inner surfaces of the dogs 32a and of the collet finger bosses 52 engage the lower expander surface 107 along a continuous line thus closing the annular gap or space between the expander and the well casing immediately below the seal element so that the seal element is now held against extrusion downwardly relative to the expander and the mandrel.

As the expander and the upper bridge assembly reach their lowermost positions on the mandrel, the ring segments 37 move into alignment with the external latch recess 99 of the mandrel and are moved thereinto by their camming engagement with the annular shoulder 88 of the lock sleeve as the downward movement of the lock sleeve is continued and the internal surface 91 of the lock sleeve moves into engagement with the ring segments thus holding them in their inner positions in the mandrel. The ring segments in turn hold the collet 30 and therefore the seal element and the expander in their lowermost positions on the mandrel. The well packer is thus locked in its expanded position closing the annulus between its mandrel and the well casing.

Downward jars then imparted to the running tool causes its latch means to be freed for movement out of the latch recess of the fishneck and the running tool by which the well packer was lowered in the casing is now removed upwardly leaving the well packer in its locked expanded sealing position in the well casing. As long as the lock sleeve is in its lowermost position on the mandrel illustrated in FIGURE 7, any pressure differential thereafter existing across the well packer does not tend to move the lock sleeve upwardly or downwardly since all of its downwardly and upwardly facing surfaces, which of course are of equal cross-sectional areas, are exposed to the same pressure so that the pressure differential therefore does not tend, in any manner, to unlock the locking assembly 26.

When it is thereafter desired to remove the well packer from the well, a suitable tool such as the Otis type GS pulling tool, illustrated and described on page 3934 of the Composite Catalogue of Oil Field Equipment and Services, and the usual set of wireline tools are lowered into the well by means of a flexible or wireline until the latch means of the pulling tool moves into the internal recess 68 of the fishneck whereupon an upward movement imparted to such pulling tool then causes upward movement of the fishneck and of the lock sleeve. The lock sleeve is moved upwardly relative to the mandrel and the collet 30 until the internal latch recess of the collet moves into alignment with the bosses 84 of the latch fingers of the collet 30 and the ring segments 87. An upward force is applied to the ring segments when the shoulders 83 of the bosses 84 of the latch fingers 85 engage the shoulder 81 of the lock sleeve and the ring segments are cammed outwardly and out of the latch recess 96 due to their camming engagement with the upwardly and outwardly beveled annular shoulder 92 defining the upper end of the latch recess 96. The collet 30 is thus freed for upward movement on the mandrel and con-.

the downwardly facing shoulders 54 of the guide ribs 50' of the expander. Thereafter continued upward movement of the lock sleeve and of the collet 30 causes the expander also to move upwardly on the mandrel and relative to the seal element and the lower bridge assembly 25. The collet fingers 31a and the dogs 32a of the lower bridge assembly are also moved radially inwardly toward their retracted positions illustrated in FIGURE 2 by the resilient force of, the collet fingers as the expander is moved out of engagement therewith. The seal element of course moves to its retracted position as the expander moves upwardly and its intermediate cylindrical surface 108 is moved out of engagement with the seal element.

Such upward movement of the upper bridge assembly 7 and the expander 23 relative to the mandrel continues until the upwardly facing annular shoulder 71 of the flange 72 of the lock sleeve again engages the downwardly facing shoulder 72 of the top end flange 74 of the mandrel whereupon the well packer is removed as aunit from the well.

It will now be seen that a new and improved Well packer 20 has been illustrated and described which includes a tubular resilient seal element 24, a pair of upper and lower bridge assemblies and an expander for moving the seal 24 and the bridge assemblies to their fully radially expanded positions wherein the bridge assemblies provide a continuous annular surface engaging the opposite ends of the seal element and bridging the gap between the expander and the internal surfaces of a well flow conductor to prevent extrusion of displacement of the resilient seal element from its proper position'between the expander and the internal surface of the flow conductor.

It will further be seen that the seal element and the upper and lower bridge assemblies are moved to their expanded positions by a downward movement imparted to an outer lock sleeve 66 relative to the mandrel on which the bridge assemblies and the seal are mounted.

It will further be seen that lock means for holding the upper bridge assembly and the expander in their lowermost positions has been illustrated and described which is releasable upon a simple upper pull imparted to the locking sleeve.

It will further be seen that the well packer is set and locked in its expanded position by a longitudinal movement imparted to an operator or lock sleeve 66 in one longitudinal direction and that the packer is unlocked and freed for removal from the flow conductor upon a longior damaged by frictional engagement with and movement relative to the internal surfaces.

It will further be seen that the upper bridge assembly is in its fully expanded position as the downwardly facing shoulders 64 and 65 of its dogs and collet fingers move into engagement with the top annular surface of the seal element and that the upwardly facing shoulders of the dogs and collet fingers of the lower bridge assembly are expanded radially outwardly simultaneously with the radial expansion of the lower end portions of the seal elements since the expander moves downwardly relative both to the seal element and the lower bridge assembly during the expansion of the seal element.

It will further be seen that the movement of the seal element to scaling position is not caused by its longitudinal compression but by a radial outward expansion due to the movement of the expander thereinto whereby the well packer may close a relatively wide annular space between the mandrel and the internal surfaces of the well flow conductors even through the external diameter of the and a dog between each adjacent pair of such fingers moveable longitudinally relative to'the fingers is enlarged at its outer end whereby as the outer ends of the fingers move circumferentially or laterally apart during their radial or outward expansion, the longitudinal movement of the dogs relative to the fingers causes the gaps or slots between the collet fingers.

In the event it is desired to seal a leak or aperture 125,

in a flow conductor C, two of the well packers 20 and Q 200, may be connected together, by a well tool; such as a spacer pipe 116 to form a pack olf anchor which is then used to seal above and below the perforation of a;

casing to prevent communication between the. interior and exterior of the casing and at the same time to pro-- vide central. flow passage for the fluids flowing through the well flow conductor.

The well packer 20a is identical to the well packer 20 except that the positions of its expander 23 and its spacer ring 109 on the mandrel are reversed so that the shoulders 53;: of the collet fingers 51a of the collet. of the lower well packer 20a are engageable' with'the shoulders 54 of the guide ribs of its expander 53 to hold the expander against downward movement on its mandrel. The seal element of the lower well packer is also disposed between the expander and the bridge assembly 22 before its expansion and a spacer pipe 118 instead of a fishneck isthreaded into its locking sleeve:

A collet 120 is secured to thelower end of the spacer pipe 118 and has a plurality of circumferentially spaced dependent resilient collet fingers 121 whose external bosses 122 are receivable in the internal annular latch re-.

cess 123 of a suitable tubular stop 124 locked in place in the casing below such perforation thereof by means of its lugs 125 which extend into a collar recess 126 of the casin The stop 124 is first installed in the well flow conductor 'below the perforation or leak 125 and the assembly of the two well packers 20 and 20a, whose collets 100 is then connected by the spacer pipe 116, are lowered intothe well, with the collet 30 of the upper well packer pref erably secured in its upper position on its mandrel by a shear pin 127 which extends through a suitable aperture in the collet into a suitable lateral bore of its mandrel, by a means of a suitable running tool which has latch means which are received in the internal latch recess 68 of the fishneck 67 of the upper well packer 20. The assembly of the two well packers and the spacer pipe 116 is then lowered into the flow conductor until the bosses 122 of the collet fingers move into the annular recess 123 of the stop 124, the camming engagement of the lower beveled shoulders 128 of the bosses with the annular shoulder 129 of the stop flexing the collet fingers inwardly to permit movement of the collet fingers into the stop. The engagement of the bottom annular shoulder 130 of the collet with the stop shoulder 129 then stops further downward movement of the collet, the spacer pipe and the lock sleeve 66 of the lower well packer in the casing.

A downward force now imparted to the fishneck and lock sleeve of the upper well packer 20 now causes downward movement of the mandrels of the two well packers relative to the lock sleeve 66 of the lower well packer 2011 since the collet 30 of the upper well packer is now held against movement relative to its mandrel due to the provision of the shear pin 127. Such continued downward movement of the mandrels now causes the bridge assemblies 22 and 25 of the lower packer and the seal element 24 of the lower packer to be expanded as its bridge assembly 25 is moved downwardly relative to its seal element and its bridge assembly 22 to the positions illustrated in FIGURE 11. When further downward movement of the mandrel 21 of the lower packer is arrested due to the engagement of the bottom surface of the spacer ring 109 with the shoulders 60a of the collet 30, the engagement of the lower end of its expander 23 with the upper end of the spacer ring 109 and the engagement of the upper end of its expander 23 with the shoulder 60a with its collet 100. A further downward force exerted on the fishneck of the upper well packer causes shearing of the shear pin 127 and the upper packer 20 is expanded in the manner described above until it is in the expanded position illustrated in FIGURE 7. The two well packers then seal above and below such leak or perforation 125 and provide with the spacer pipe 116 a continuous flow conductor through which fluids may flow past the leak or perforation in the flow conduct-or C.

If it should thereafter be desired to remove such packotf anchor from the well casing, a suitable pulling tool is lowered into the well to engage the fishneck 67 of the upper well packer 20. An upward movement then imparted to the fishneek moves its locking sleeve, its upper bridge assembly and its expander upwardly on the mandrel to the position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 and thereafter a further upward movement imparted to the fishneck moves its mandrel 21, the spacer pipe 116 and the collet 1G0 and mandrel 21 of the lower packer upwardly.

Such upward movement of the collet and mandrel of the lower packer causes the collet fingers 31a and the dogs 32a of its bridge assembly 25 to move upwardly relative to its expander until the shoulders 53a of its collet fingers 31a engage the shoulders 54 of the guide ribs 50 of its expander. Further upward movement of its collet 100 and mandrel 21 then moves the expander upwardly relative to its seal element 24 and its bridge assembly 22. The frictional engagement of the seal element 24 with the flow conductor tends to hold it against upward movement until the expander retracts out of engagement with the flow conductor. The bridge assembly 22 of the lower packer is now held against upward movement due the engagement of the top beveled shoulders 132 of the collet bosses with the upper internal annular shoulder 133 of the stop 124 defining the upper end of its recess 123. The mandrel and expander of the lower packer continue to move upwardly relative to its bridge assembly 22 and its locking sleeve until the shoulder 72 of the end flange 74 of its mandrel engages the downwardly facing shoulder 71 of its lock sleeve whereupon the lower well packer will be in its fully retracted position. The whole assembly may then be removed from the well, the camming engagement of the shoulders 132 of the collet finger bosses with the annular stop shoulder 133 camming the collet fingers inwardly to release the lower packer from the stop.

It will now be seen that two of the well packers embodying the invention may be connected to form a packotf anchor which may be installed and locked in expanded position in a flow conductor to seal above and below a perforation or leak thereof and to conduct fluids past such perforation.

It will further be seen that the pack-off anchor is easily installed and expanded by a downward force imparted thereto by means of the tool by which it is lowered into 1% the flow conductor and is easily removed by an upward force irnparted thereto by a tool by which it is removable from the flow conductor.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A well packer including: a tubular mandrel; an annular seal element and a pair of radially outwardly expansible bridge assemblies carried by said mandrel; said seal element being disposed between said bridge assemblies; an expander for expanding said assemblies and said seal element disposed on said mandrel for limited longitudinal movement relative to said mandrel, said seal element and said bridge assemblies, one of said bridge assemblies being secured against movement relative to said mandrel; means for moving the other of said bridge assemblies in one direction toward said one of said bridge assemblies, said other of said bridge assemblies being movable in said one direction with respect to said expanding member to cause said other of said bridge assemblies to be moved radially outwardly to said expanded position; said other of said bridge assemblies and said expander having co-engageable means limiting movement of said other of said bridge assemblies relative to said expander whereby further movement of said other of said bridge assemblies in said one direction of said mandrel causes said expander to move longitudinally of said mandrel and inwardly of said seal element to move the seal element radially outwardly to its expanded position and causes said expander to move into engagement with said one of said bridge assemblies to move it into its expanded position, said bridge assemblies including means providing continuous annular surfaces moved to positions engaging opposite annular end surfaces of said seal element when said seal element is in expanded position therebetween.

2. A well packer including: a tubular mandrel; an annular seal element and a pair of radially outwardly expansible bridge assemblies carried by said mandrel, said seal element being disposed between said bridge assemblies; an expander for expanding said assemblies and said seal element disposed on said mandrel for limited longitudinal movement relative to said mandrel, said seal element and said bridge assemblies, one of said bridge assemblies being secured against movement relative to said mandrel; means for moving the other of said bridge assemblies in one direction toward said one of said bridge assemblies, said other of said bridge assemblies being movable in said one direction longitudinally of said mandrel relative to said expander to cause said other of said bridge assemblies to be moved radially outwardly to expanded position by said expander; said other of said bridge assemblies and said expander having co-engageable means limiting movement of said other of said bridge assemblies relative to said expander whereby further movement of said other of said bridge assemblies in said one direction of said mandrel causes said expander to move longitudinally of said mandrel and inwardly of said seal element to move the seal element radially outwardly to its expanded position and causes said expander to move into engagement with said one of said bridge assemblies to move it into its expanded position, said bridge assemblies including means providing continuous annular surfaces moved to positions engaging opposite annular end surfaces of said seal element when said seal element is in expanded position therebetween; and lock-ing means engageable with said mandrel for releasably locking said other of said bridge assemblies against movement in a second direction opposite said one direction when said bridge assemblies and said expander are in said expanded positions.

3. A well packer including: a tubular mandrel; an

annular seal element and a pair of radially outwardly expansible bridge assemblies carried by said mandrel, said seal element "being disposed between said bridge assemblies; an expander for expanding said assemblies and said seal element disposed on said mandrel for limited longitudinal movement relative to said mandrel, said seal element and said bridgeassemblies, one of said bridge assemblies being secured against movement relative to said mandrel; means for moving the other of said bridge assemblies in one direction toward said one of said bridge assemblies, said other of said bridges assemblies being movable in said one direction longitudinally of said mandrel relative to said expander to cause said other of said bridge assemblies to be moved radially outwardly to expanded position by said expander; said other of said bridge assemblies and said expander having co-engageable means limiting movement of said other of said bridge assemblies relative to said expander whereby movement of said other of said bridge assemblies in said one direction of said mandrel causes said expander to move longitudinally of said mandrel and inwardly of said seal elemerit to move the seal element radially outwardly to its expanded position and causes said expander to move into engagement with said one of said bridge assemblies to move it into its expanded position, said bridge assemblies providing continuous annular surfaces moved to positions engaging opposite annular end surfaces of said seal element when said seal element is in expanded position therebetween, each of said bridge assemblies comprising a collet having a plurality of circumferentially spaced resilient longitudinally projecting collet fingers extending toward said seal element and a plurality of dogs 'having circumferentially enlarged end portions, said dogs being disposed between said collet fingers with said circumferentially enlarged end portions extending beyond the projecting ends of said collet fingers, said dogs being movable longitudinally relative to said collet fingers as the dogs and collet fingers are expanded radially outwardly by said expander to move said enlarged end portions between said collet fingers as said collet fingersmove laterally circumferentially apart during'their radialoutward movement whereby said dogs and said collet fingers provide a continuous annular surface movable to a position engaging an adjacent annular end surface of said seal element when said collet fingers and said dogs are in their radially expanded positions.

4. A Well packer including: a mandrel; a pair of bridge assemblies on said mandrel, each of said bridge assemblies including a collet having a plurality of resilient circumferentially spaced radially expansiblc collet fingers and a plurality of dogs each extending between a pair of said collet fingers, said dogs being movably secured to said collet for radial outward movement relative to said mandrel, the collet fingers of said collets extending longitudinally toward each other, the collet of one of said bridge assemblies being rigidly secured to said mandrel and the collet of the other of said bridge assemblies being longitudinally movable on said mandrel; an expander longitudinally movably disposed on said mandrel between said bridge assemblies, said expander moving said collet fingers and dogs of said bridge assemblies radially outwardly upon longitudinal movement thereof relative to said bridge assemblies, said expander and the collet of said one of said bridge assemblies having co-enga-geable means for limiting longitudinal movement thereof relative to each other; seal means disposed about said mandrel and between said one of said bridge assemblies'and said expander, said seal means being moved by said expander into expanded position upon longitudinal movement of said expander on said mandrel between said mandrel and said seal means; and means for moving said movable collet of said other of said bridge assemblies on said mandrel toward said collet of said one of said bridge assemblies to cause said expander to move said collet fingers and dogs of said bridge assemblies and said seal means to their expanded positions.

5. A well packer including: a mandrel; a pair of bridge assemblies on said mandrel, each of said bridge assemblies including a collet having a plurality of resilient circumferentially spaced radially expansible collet fingers V and a plurality of dogs each extending between a pair of said collet fingers, said dogsbeing movably secured to said collet for radial outward movement relative to said mandrel, the collet fingers of said collets extending longitudinally toward each other, the collet of one of said bridge assemblies being rigidly secured to said mandrel and the 'limiting longitudinal movement thereof relative to each other; seal means disposed about said mandrel and between said one of said bridge assemblies and said expander,

said seal means being moved by said expander into expanded position upon longitudinal movement of said expander on said mandrel between said mandrel and said seal means; and means for moving said movable collet of said other of said bridge assemblies on said mandrel toward said collet of said one of said bridge assemblies to cause said expander to move said collet fingers and dogs of said bridge assemblies and said seal means to their expanded positions, said means for moving said movable collet of said other of said bridge assemblies comprising a lock sleeve movable longitudinally relative to said mandrel and having'latch means engageable with said movable collet and said mandrel for causing said movable collet to move with said locking sleeve in one direction on said mandrel until said movable collet is moved to a predetermined position on said mandrel wherein said sealing means and said bridge assemblies are in fully expanded positions, said mandrel and said latch means having co-engageable means for releasably locking said movable collet to said mandrel in said predetermined position upon limited lon-,

including a collet having a plurality of resilient circum ferentially spaced collet fingers and a plurality of dogs each extending between a pair of said collet fingers, said dogs being movably secured to said collet for radial outward movement relative to said mandrel, each of said dogs and the collet fingers between which it is disposed having co-engageable means for limiting radial outward movement of said dogs relative to said collet fingers, the collet fingers of said collets extending longitudinally toward each other, the collet of one of said bridge assen1- blies being rigidly secured to said mandrel and the collet of the other of said bridge assemblies being longitudinally movable on said mandrel; an expander longitudinally movably disposed on said mandrel between said bridge assemblies, said expander moving said collet fingers and dogs of said bridge assemblies radially outwardly upon longitudinal movement thereof relative to said bridge assem-- blies, said expander and the collet of said one of said bridge assemblies having co-engageable' means for limiting longitudinal movement thereof relative to each other;

seal means disposed about said mandrel and between said one of said bridge assemblies and said expander, said seal means being moved by said expander into expanded position upon longitudinal movement of said expander on said mandrel between said mandrel and said seal means; and means for moving said movable collet of said other of 13 said bridge assemblies on said mandrel toward said collet of said One of said bridge assemblies to cause said expander to move said collet fingers and dogs of said bridge assemblies and said seal means to their expanded positions.

7. A well packer including: a mandrel; a pair of bridge assemblies on said mandrel, each of said bridge assemblies including a collet having a plurality of resilient circumferentially spaced collet fingers and a plurality of dogs each extending between a pair of said collet fingers, said dogs being movably secured to said collet for radial outward movement relative to said mandrel, each of said dogs and the collet fingers between which it is disposed having co-engageable means for limiting radial outward movement of said dogs relative to said collet fingers, the collet fingers of said collets extending longitudinally toward each other, the collet of one of said bridge assemblies being rigidly secured to said mandrel and the collet of the other of said bridge assemblies being longitudinally movable on said mandrel; an expander longitudinally movably disposed on said mandrel between said bridge assemblies, said expander moving said collet fingers and dogs of said bridge assemblies radially outwardly upon longitudinal movement thereof relative to said bridge assemblies, said expander and the collet of said one of said bridge assemblies having co-engageable means for limiting longitudinal movement thereof relative to each other; seal means disposed about said mandrel and between said one of said bridge assemblies and said expander, said seal means being moved by said expander into expanded position upon longitudinal movement of said expander on said mandrel between said mandrel and said seal means; and means for moving said movable collet of said other of said bridge assemblies on said mandrel toward said collet of said one of said bridge assemblies to cause said expander to move said collet fingers and dogs of said bridge assemblies and said seal means to their expanded positions, said means for moving said movable collet of said other of said bridge assemblies comprising a lock sleeve movable longitudinally relative to said mandrel and having latch means engageable with said movable collet and said mandrel for causing said movable collet to move with said locking sleeve in one direction on said mandrel until said movable collet is moved to a predetermined position on said mandrel wherein said sealing means and said bridge assemblies are in fully expanded positions, said mandrel and said latch means having co-engageable means for releasably locking said movable collet to said mandrel in said predetermined position upon limited longitudinal movement of said lock sleeve relative to said collar, said latch means releasing said movable collet for movement in the opposite direction upon limited longitudinal movement of said lock sleeve relative to said collet in a direction opposite said one direction.

8. A bridge assembly for a well tool having a mandrel, said bridge assembly including: an annular collet member disposable on said mandrel and having a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced collet fingers; a plurality of dogs each extending between a pair of said collet fingers and having one end portion pivotally secured to said collet member and its opposite end projecting beyond the ends of said collet fingers, each of said dogs having longitudinally divergent lateral surfaces providing a laterally enlarged end portion extending longitudinally beyond the ends of the collet fingers between which the dog is disposed when said dogs and fingers are in their radially retracted position, said collet fingers having lateral surfaces at their projecting ends engageable with said divergent lateral surfaces of said dogs, each of said dogs being movable longitudinally relative to said end portions of said collet fingers to move the divergent surfaces of said dogs between said projecting end portions of said collet fingers whereby said collet fingers are expanded radially outwardly and are moved circumferentially apart from one another when said laterally enlarged end portion of each dog moves between the end portions of said collet fingers and the end surfaces of said dogs and collet fingers provide an annular continuous surface extending in a plane perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of said collet.

9. A well packer including: a tubular mandrel; an annular seal element and a pair of radially outwardly expansible bridge assemblies carried by said mandrel; said seal element being disposed between said bridge assemblies; an expander for expanding said assemblies and said seal element disposed on said mandrel for limited longitudinal movement relative to said mandrel, said seal element and said bridge assemblies, one of said bridge assemblies being secured against movement relative to said mandrel; means for moving the other of said bridge assemblies in one direction toward said one of said bridge assemblies being movable in said one direction longitudinally of said mandrel relative to said expander to cause said other of said bridge assemblies to be moved radially outwardly to expanded position by said expander; said other of said bridge assemblies, said other of said bridge assemblies and said expander having co-engageable means limiting movement of said other of said bridge assemblies relative to said expander whereby movement of said other of said bridge assemblies in said one direction of said mandrel causes said expander to move longitudinally of said mandrel and inwardly of said seal element to move the seal element radially outwardly to its expanded position and causes said expander to move into engagement with said one of said bridge assemblies to move it into its expanded position, each of said bridge assemblies including: an annular collet member disposable on said mandrel and having a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced collet fingers; a dog extending between each adjacent pair of collet fingers and having one end portion pivotally secured to said collet member, each of said dogs having longitudinally divergent lateral surfaces at its opposite end providing a laterally enlarged end portion extending longitudinally beyond the projecting ends of the collet fingers between which the dog is disposed when said dogs and fingers are in their radially retracted positions, said collet fingers having lateral camming surfaces at their projecting ends engageable with said divergent surfaces of said dogs, each of said dogs being movable longitudinally relative to said collet fingers to move the divergent surfaces of said dogs between said projecting end portions of said collet fingers whereby said collet fingers are expanded radially outwardly and are moved circumferentially apart from one another when said laterally enlarged end portion of each dog moves between the projecting end portions of said collet fingers and the end surfaces of said dogs and collet fingers provide an annular continuous surface extending in a plane perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of said collet member, said continuous annular surfaces of said bridge assemblies being moved to positions engaging opposite annular end surfaces of said seal element when said seal element is in expanded position therebe tween.

10. A bridge assembly for a well tool having a mandrel, said bridge assembly including: an annular collet member disposable on said mandrel and having a plurality of longitudinally projecting circumferentially spaced collet fingers; a plurality of dogs each extending between a pair of said collet fingers and having one end portion pivotally secured to said collet member said collet fingers and dogs having co-engageable means limiting pivotal radial outward movement of said dogs relative to said collet fingers, each of said dogs having longitudinally divergent lateral surfaces at its opposite end providing a laterally enlarged end portion extending longitudinally beyond the projecting ends of the collet fingers between which the dog is disposed when said dogs and fingers are in their radially retracted positions, said collet fingers having lateral surfaces at their projecting ends engageable with said divergent surfaces of said dogs, each of said dogs being movable longitudinally relative to said collet fingers to move the divergent surfaces of said dog between said projecting end portions of said collet fingers whereby said collet fingers are expanded radially outwardly and are moved circumferentially apart from one another when said laterally enlarged end portion of each dog moves between the projecting end portions of said collet fingers and the end surfaces of said dogs and collet fingers provide an annular continuous surface extending in a plane perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of said collet member.

11. A well packer including: a tubular mandrel; an annular seal element and a pair of radially outwardly expansible bridge assemblies carried by said mandrel, said seal element being disposed between said bridge assemblies; an expander for expanding said assemblies and said seal element disposed on said mandrel for limited longitudinal movement relative to said mandrel, said seal element and said bridge assemblies, one of saidtbridge assemblies being secured against movement relative to said mandrel; means for moving the other of said bridge assemblies in one direction toward said one of said bridge assemblies, said other of said bridge assemblies able means limiting pivotal radial outward movement of said dogs relative to said collet fingers, each of said dogs 1 having longitudinally divergent lateral surfaces at its opposite end providing a laterally enlarged end portion extending longitudinally beyond the projecting ends of the collet fingers between which the dog is disposed when said dogs and fingers are in their radially retracted positions,

said collet fingers having lateral surfaces at their projecting ends engageable with said divergent surfaces of said dogs,

each of said dogs being movable longitudinally relative;

to said collet fingers to move the divergent surfacestof said dogs between said projecting end portions of said collet fingers whereby said collet fingers are expanded,

radially outwardly and are moved circumferentially apart from one another when said laterally enlarged end portion of each dog moves between the longitudinally projecting end portions of said' collet fingers and the end being movable in said one direction longitudinally of i said mandrel relative to said expander to cause said bridge assembly to be moved radially outwardly to expanded position by said expander; said other of said bridge assemblies and said expander having co-engageable means limiting movement of said other of said bridge assemblies relative to said expander whereby movement of said other of said bridge assemblies in said one direction of said mandrel causes said expander to move longitudinally of said mandrel and inwardly of said seal element to move the seal element radially outwardly to its expanded position and causes said expander to move further longitudinally of said mandrel into engagement with said one of said bridge assemblies to move it into its expanded position, each of said bridge assemblies including: an annular collet member disposable on said surfaces of said dogs and collet fingers provide an annular continuous surface extending in a plane perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of said collet member, said continuous annular surfaces of said bridge assemblies being disposed in positions engaging opposite annular end surfaces of said seal element when said seal element is in expanded position therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

D. H. BROWN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WELL PACKER INCLUDING: A TUBULAR MANDREL; AN ANNULAR SEAL ELEMENT AND A PAR OF RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXPANSIBLE BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES CARRIES BY SAID MANDREL; SAID SEAL ELEMENT BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES; AN EXPANDER FOR EXPANDING SAID ASSEMBLIES AND SAID SEAL ELEMENT DISPOSED ON SAID MANDREL FOR LIMITED LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID MANDREL, SAID SEAL ELEMENT AND SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES, ONE OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES BEING SECURED AGAINST MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID MANDREL; MEANS FOR MOVING THE OTHER OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES IN ONE DIRECTION TOWARD SAID ONE OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES, SAID OTHER OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES BEING MOVABLE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID EXPANDING MEMBER TO CAUSE SAID OTHER OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES TO BE MOVED RADIALLY OUTWARDLY TO SAID EXPANDED POSITION; SAID OTHER OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES AND SAID EXPANDER HAVING CO-ENGAGEABLE MEANS LIMITING MOVEMENT OF SAID OTHER OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES RELATIVE TO SAID EXPANDER WHEREBY FURTHER MOVEMENT OF SAID OTHER OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES IN SAID ONE DIRECTION OF SAID MANDREL CAUSES SAID EXPANDER TO MOVE LONGITUDINALLY OF SAI MANDREL AND INWARDLY OF SAID SEAL ELEMENT TO MOVE THE SEAL ELEMENT RADIALLY OUTWARDLY TO ITS EXPANDED POSITION AND CAUSES SAID EXPANDER TO MOVE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ONE OF SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES TO MOVE IT INTO ITS EXPANDED POSITION, SAID BRIDGE ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING MEANS PROVIDING CONTINUOUS ANNULAR SURFACES MOVED TO POSITIONS ENGAGING OPPOSITE ANNULAR END SURFACES OF SAID SEAL ELEMENT WHEN SAID SEAL ELEMENT IS IN EXPANDED POSITION THEREBETWEEN. 